Over 1,500 Aberdeen locals help charity celebrate National Playday 2019

14Aug 2019

Last week (Wednesday 7th August 2019) the Aberdeen Play Forum, supported by Aberlour Child Care Trust and Aberdeen City Council, celebrated National Playday in style with over 1,500 visitors at Hazlehead Park, Aberdeen.

This year’s event focused on the Playday 2019 theme – Play Builds Children – highlighting the many ways play is good for children:

Play Builds Friendships – playing allows children to interact with others, develop relationships, deal with conflict, and learn respect and tolerance.

Play Builds Resilience – playing boosts children’s confidence, creativity, problem-solving skills and perseverance, enabling them to cope with stress and challenges throughout life.

Play Builds Health and Well-being – being active through play helps children physically and emotionally, contributing to their health and happiness.

Play Builds Communities – playing allows children to learn about the world around them, make connections, and develop a sense of identity and belonging.

Throughout the day the children were able to take part in several different fun and varied activities to inspire their young minds. These included a baby sensory area, traditional woodland crafts with T.O.A.D.S (Tine’s Outdoor Adventure Day Service), Pinnacle Fitness trampette activity and 2Wit2Woo Birds of Prey.

Amy*, aged 6, said: “I like painting the rocks. I’m going soon to hide it, but I might come back and see it and keep it!”

Jack*, aged 9, said: “This has been the ‘funest’ day of my school holidays!”

Karen Shepherd, Aberlour Operational Play Development Worker at Aberdeen Play Forum, said:
“Every child has the right to play. We are delighted that our Playday event was another great success. All the activities we organise ensure all children’s health and well-being is catered for. We work very closely families and school pupils on child mental health which we can really reach through play. Playday is our biggest event of the year but we work hard all year round in schools and in public parks during the holidays to bring play to all our local children as it is so vital to every child’s development.”

Katherine*, parent, said:
“We always like to come along to Play Forum events when we can. Such a great adventure!”

Aberlour is Scotland’s largest children’s charity and supports over 7,500 vulnerable children and their families across the country. Aberlour provide a range of services, including residential and fostering, recovery, early years, disability and early intervention, to help the young people and families they support to thrive.

For more information on the Aberdeen Play Forum events visit www.aberlour.org.uk or call 01224 518572.